St Brigid's Preschool & Long Day Care Coogee

At St Brigid's Preschool and Long Day Care Coogee, our approach to learning is inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy, viewing each child as an innately curious and capable learner. 

Our learning environments, often referred to as the 'third teacher,' are carefully crafted to spark exploration and creativity while our educators act as facilitators and co-learners. 

Driven by the children's own passions and interests, our approach celebrates the diverse ways that children learn and express themselves. 

Learning is holistic, focused on children's complete development, integrating their physical, social, emotional, spiritual and intellectual growth.

We believe in collaborative project-based learning, integrating the insights of children, families, and educators to create an enriching and responsive educational journey that is tailored to each individual child.

Inside St Brigid's Preschool and Long Day Care Coogee, you will find five vibrant learning spaces with abundant resources, interactive learning displays, and links to children's homes and cultures, to ensure all children feel a strong sense of belonging.

Classrooms are airy and bright, open-plan, and spacious, with designated areas for literacy, art and craft, construction, loose parts play, a home corner, dress ups, a reading nook, sustainability, a smart board, and more.
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A wide variety of learning resources are available to the children each day and the activities are regularly rotated to ensure the environment is stimulating and interest-based. 

Beyond the classroom, our Coogee childcare centre offers three dedicated outdoor areas enriched with nature walk, ropes course, two sandpits, a mud kitchen, water play, picnic tables, climbing equipment, veggie patch, sensory walls, stage and podium,  soft mats, bikes, construction, exploration tables, and a range of sports equipment.

Our outdoor environments are set up daily with engaging activities and resources to foster the development of gross motor skills, encourage exploration, and extend children's interests beyond the classroom.

Children also participate in daily Munch and Move activities and planned sport to develop fundamental movement skills.

Nursery Program

Our Coogee Nursery Program for children aged six weeks to two years focuses on providing young children with nurturing, responsive, and caring relationships that provide the essential foundations for learning and growth.

At the heart of our nursery program lies the belief that babies are competent, curious, and eager learners who thrive in learning environments that support movement, curiosity, and connection.

Learning activities in our Nursery Room are hands-on and encourage children to explore with all their senses. Through music and movement, storytime, open-ended play, group projects, sensory exploration, and games, our youngest learners gain an understanding of themselves, their world, and their place within in.
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Each child's journey is unique, and our dedicated educators work in partnership with children and families, to achieve the best outcomes for every child.

Key Learning Areas Include: 

Identity: We nurture children's identity by teaching them descriptive words, fostering independence, promoting resilience, building connections, and enhancing self-esteem and belonging.

Connection: Children learn about their connection and contribution by exploring diversity, culture, sustainability, community interactions, and the principles of fairness.

Wellbeing: We promote children's physical and emotional wellbeing through daily movement activities, learning about healthy eating, positive social interactions, bodily awareness, mindfulness, safe sleep practices, and the Munch and Move Program.

Learning: We provide enriching learning experiences through play, projects, and intentional teaching, fostering problem-solving, motor skills, sensory perception, pattern recognition, and an understanding of cause and effect.

Communication: We support the development of communication and pro-social skills through storytelling, music, exploration of sounds and language, descriptive speech, question-asking, and fostering self-expression.

Toddler Program

Our Coogee Toddler Program for children aged two to three is thoughtfully designed with a focus on interactive learning experiences that encourage exploration, hands-on learning, and self-expression. 

Educators attentively listen to and observe the children, using their interests as a springboard for meaningful projects and activities. 

Through group learning experiences, open-ended play, discovery and exploration, interest-based projects, art and craft, dramatic play, and responsive relationships, toddlers are empowered to communicate, connect, and discover the world around them, fostering a deep-rooted love for learning. 

Key Learning Areas Include: 

Identity: We nurture children's sense of identity by encouraging their interests, fostering independence, supporting resilience, building connections, encouraging exploration, and enhancing self-esteem and belonging.

Connection: Children learn about their connection and contribution by exploring diversity, culture, sustainability, community, and the principles of fairness, taking turns, group projects, and shared play.

Wellbeing: We promote children's physical, spiritual, and emotional wellbeing through daily movement, games and sports, learning about nutrition, the body, and healthy habits, learning about emotions, mindfulness, and the Munch and Move Program.

Learning: We provide engaging learning experiences through play, interest projects, and intentional teaching that foster problem-solving, fine and gross motor skills, resilience, creativity, concentration, and foundational academic skills.

Communication: We support the development of communication and pro-social skills through storytelling, music and movement, child-centred learning, early literacy activities, asking questions, group time, creativity, and self-expression.

Preschool and School Readiness Program

Our Coogee Preschool and School Readiness Program for children aged three to six provides children with dynamic learning experiences that fuel children’s curiosity, sense of wonder, inquiry, and problem-solving skills. 

Our educators, acting as guides and collaborators, take cues from each child's unique interests, weaving them into engaging projects and activities that nurture both creativity and foundational academic skills. 

Through interest-driven exploration, individual and group projects, art, construction, and peer interactions, our preschool children are nurtured to become confident, inquisitive, and prepared learners who are ready to thrive in Primary School. 

‍Key Learning Areas Include: 

Identity: We nurture children's sense of identity by encouraging their interests and self-expression, fostering independence, supporting resilience, building connections, encouraging exploration, and enhancing self-esteem and belonging.

Connection: Children learn about their connection, contribution, and impact by exploring diversity, culture, sustainability, community, and the principles of fairness, taking turns, group projects, and shared play.

Wellbeing: We cultivate positive attitudes towards health, wellbeing, and nutrition through daily movement, healthy habits, mindfulness exercises, bodily awareness, emotional learning, and the Munch and Move Program.

Learning: We provide engaging learning experiences through open-ended play, interest projects, experiments, and intentional teaching that foster critical thinking, problem-solving, resilience, creativity, concentration, and foundational academic skills.

Communication: We support the development of communication and pro-social skills through early literacy activities, storytelling, group activities, music and movement, child-directed learning, asking questions, group time, show and tell, and self-expression.